


Fire Beetles

by stolen_pen_name23



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Clone Wars: Gambit Series - Karen Miller, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Visions, Gen, Hurt Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Nightmares, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, Phobias, Pre-Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Protective Qui-Gon Jinn, Sick Obi-Wan Kenobi, Sickfic, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 08:07:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25810090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stolen_pen_name23/pseuds/stolen_pen_name23
Summary: After a nearly 14-year-old Obi-Wan is stung by dozens of fire beetles, he suffers through the effects of their stings. Qui-Gon tries his best to take care of him in the meantime.
Relationships: Qui-Gon Jinn & Obi-Wan Kenobi
Comments: 45
Kudos: 192





	1. Welcome to the Jungle

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is based on a small scene in my other work, The Significance of Found Family, but you don't need to read one to understand the other. The fire beetles idea was taken from Karen Miller's Wild Space which I highly recommend, but again, isn't necessary to understand this fic. Thank you for reading! :)

While Obi-Wan had only been to a handful of planets outside of Coruscant in his young life, he had already decided that this one was not for him. He and his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, had been ordered to an unnamed jungle planet in the Kandom system to bring medicines and vaccines to the native population that inhabited the wild planet. 

Republic authorities were well aware of the planet’s native population, but laws and regulations prohibited citizens of the republic from engaging with the population for several reasons, the biggest of which was the high probability for the spread of diseases. 

Though it was prohibited for citizens of the republic to engage with untouched native populations, these native populations weren’t exactly well advertised. That’s how one lone explorer ended up accidentally coming into contact with the population of this unidentified planet. He had been hiking through the planet, collecting samples of the abundant flora surrounding him everywhere he turned when he encountered the planet’s native population. 

They looked almost human but somehow more ethereal. Their long, muscular legs put all of them well over 8 feet tall. Their cheekbones were high and sharp and they had almond-shaped eyes. They all had three fingers and one thumb on either hand and they had skin the color of golden sand. They radiated beauty, peace and serenity. 

They were a welcoming people. When they saw the human hiker, they took him into their small civilization and embraced him. He tried to protest, but the language barrier prevented any sort of warning from him.

The hiker was a dutiful scientist and a good man. When he finally left the small tribe he immediately informed republic authorities of his encounter and the need to transport vaccines to the people – just in case. 

That’s how Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan found themselves hiking through the thick depths of this barely touched planet carrying large backpacks full of medicines and vaccines for the tribe. The jungle was so thick, there hadn’t been much room for landing their ship. They picked a clearing as close to the settlement as possible, but it was still a good 14 miles away from the tribe. Qui-Gon let Obi-Wan lead the way, partially so he could judge the boy’s wayfinding skills, but mostly because he wanted to have both of his eyes on him on this strange new planet. The trail they were on was steep and rocky, making the trek to the tribal encampment slower than either of the two Jedi would have liked. The trail was haphazardly carved out of the side of a mountain. On one side of the trail, the mountain curved upwards, providing a natural wall. On the other side of the trail was a steep, curved decline downwards. 

Qui-Gon knew the boy was starting to struggle a little bit under the weight of the heavy backpack. He had only been on a handful of missions with him, but he could already tell Obi-Wan was not one to complain, a rare trait to have in a nearly 14-year-old boy. Still, his young padawan was panting rather heavily, his cheeks were flushed from the heat, and sweat was beaded on his brow. 

“Padawan, why don’t you let me carry that for now?”

“It’s alright, Master,” Obi-Wan panted. “I’m sure we’re almost there anyway.”

The boy wasn’t wrong. Qui-Gon could sense the presence of the tribe getting closer and closer to them. They really weren’t far off.

“Alright, but drink this,” Qui-Gon said, passing Obi-Wan a water bottle.

Obi-Wan drank from the offered bottle gratefully. He sent a wave of appreciation through their training bond. 

He really was a good kid. Qui-Gon could kick himself for waiting so long to select him as his padawan, or for the aloofness he had treated the kid with in their first few months together. They hadn’t connected right away, but it only took a few missions for Qui-Gon to see just how special the young Jedi really was. He was kind-hearted, intelligent, and gentle. His presence in the Force was so  _ bright. _ Their bond had grown quite strong, and Qui-Gon felt a fierce protectiveness over the boy. 

Obi-Wan, on the other hand, knew there had been a shift in his relationship with Qui-Gon, but he was still somewhat apprehensive around the older Jedi – secretly terrified Qui-Gon would realize he had made a mistake and send him to the agri-corp anyway. So Obi-Wan didn’t complain as he hiked up the steep trail in the middle of the hottest and most humid planet he had ever set foot on. Relief coursed through his veins as he felt the Force presence of the tribe get closer and closer. 

If they hadn’t been able to sense it, the tribe’s encampment would have seemingly come out of nowhere. The dense jungle gave way to a large clearing, where small tents and huts were scattered about. 

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon cautiously entered the small settlement before they were greeted by a handful of residents. They looked at them curiously before excitedly grasping them by their arms and pulling them towards the center of the settlement where a group of elders was sitting around a large fire. 

It was clear that the group did not speak basic, nor did Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon speak their native tongue. However, all parties instantly sensed something else.

“They’re all Force-sensitive, Master,” Obi-Wan said in awe.

“Fascinating,” was all Qui-Gon could say. 

No wonder they had been so friendly. They could sense their intentions.

There was some confusion at first, but Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were able to communicate their intentions and meaning behind their presence through the Force. The elders gathered all of the tribespeople and one by one Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan administered vaccines to all of the people. 

As far as missions went, this one had gone incredibly smooth. Qui-Gon was pleased to see Obi-Wan’s delighted interactions with the tribespeople. He would glance over at the boy every now and then and catch him laughing or smiling with the tribespeople, especially the children. 

As the pair took their leave, Qui-Gon could sense a light sadness coming from the boy when they finally parted ways with the group. Once again, Obi-Wan led the way towards their ship as they carefully made their way down the narrow and rocky trail. 

Obi-Wan was used to the mild and sometimes cold climate of Coruscant. The heat on this particular planet was starting to get to him, especially now that they didn’t have a goal to work towards besides getting to the ship. Even without the heavy weight of the backpacks, which they had decided to leave behind, the way down the trail was treacherous and required a lot of concentration and energy – two things that Obi-Wan was seriously starting to lack. 

Obi-Wan was tired, he was hot, and he wasn’t paying attention. His foot caught on a rock and he quickly lost his balance. In an attempt to regain his footing, he tried taking another step, landing on the edge of the trail, which gave way under his weight. Obi-Wan immediately went tumbling down the curved edge of the hill.

“Obi-Wan!” Qui-Gon shouted as he helplessly watched his padawan roll down the embankment. 

Obi-Wan was too shocked to scream. He desperately grasped for purchase, but he was moving so fast. Just as quickly as he had fallen, he slammed into a fallen tree trunk. The trunk was rotted and hollowed out. He broke through the first layer of the trunk and came to a heavy stop against the other side of it. Wind knocked out of him, Obi-Wan coughed and gasped for breath. He lay heavily on his side, the rotted tree felt like it had enveloped him. 

As he tried to gather his bearings he could feel cuts and bruises all over his body – and something else.

He looked at his body and gasped in horror. Hundreds of large, beetle-like creatures were crawling on top of his robes. 

Obi-Wan  _ hated  _ beetles. Fear was an unbecoming feeling for a Jedi to have, but this was more than that. This was a phobia. Anytime he saw anything even resembling a beetle, he would break out in a cold sweat. Now, he was covered in them. 

They were huge and Obi-Wan could see their massive pinchers. 

Suddenly, his fear magnified as they started biting him  _ through  _ his robes. 

At first, all he felt was a small pinch where they bit him, but then…

  
Obi-Wan  _ screamed. _


	2. Burn

The raw scream of pain and terror that came out of the boy’s mouth was unlike anything Qui-Gon had ever heard come out of him. If they hadn’t been the only two people there, he would have assumed it was coming from someone else because there was  _ no way _ his quiet, reserved padawan had let out a scream containing that much torment. Panic lanced through his whole body. 

Qui-Gon quickened his pace down the side of the hill, but it was slow going. It was steeper and rougher than the trail had been, and though he was trying to reach Obi-Wan quickly, he didn’t want to end up in a predicament like his padawan’s. 

Qui-Gon couldn’t yet see the beetles covering Obi-Wan’s body and he did not know what had made him scream like that. A thousand thoughts ran through his mind.  _ His back is broken, he hit his head, he was impaled by a stray branch.  _ All of these worst-case scenarios went through Qui-Gon’s head as he scrambled after Obi-Wan. He tried to release his fear into the Force as he scrambled down the hill.

“ _ Master!” _

_ I’m coming Padawan. Just hang in there little one. _

“ _ Master, please! Get them off of me!” _

Qui-Gon didn’t have time to think about what that meant, but as he approached Obi-Wan, realization struck him.

_ Oh no,  _ Qui-Gon thought to himself.

His young padawan was absolutely covered in fire beetles. That would explain the screaming. Qui-Gon knew that fire beetles were aptly named. The bite of a fire beetle barely even left a mark, but their venom released a neurotoxin that tricked their victim's brains into believing that the part of the skin that had been bitten was on fire. 

Qui-Gon also knew that the boy, while calm and fearless in combat simulations or at a negotiation table, was absolutely terrified of beetles. Everyone had phobias, but the Jedi had to learn to work through theirs. Unfortunately, Qui-Gon had not had much of a chance to work with Obi-Wan on this particular skill yet. He could feel the unbridled panic surrounding his young padawan. It had paralyzed him. Had he been properly trained in how to combat his own fears he might have been able to realize he could use the Force to rid the beetles from his body. However, Qui-Gon was an adept enough teacher to know that this was  _ not _ a teaching moment. He gathered the Force around him and used it to levitate all of the beetles off of Obi-Wan’s body. Qui-Gon was too connected to the Living Force to bring himself to kill the beetles, but he did package them into a tight ball and thrust them roughly 300 yards away. If they came back, he would repeat the process, but for now, he had a padawan to attend to. 

Qui-Gon closed the distance between himself and Obi-Wan. 

“ _ Master!  _ Get them off of me, please Qui-Gon, help me  _ please!”  _

The boy was clearly out of it.

“Hush Obi-Wan, they are gone. They aren’t on you anymore. Focus on me,” Qui-Gon coaxed gently.

The boy’s eyes remained wild. He was hyperventilating. Qui-Gon needed a new approach.

“ _ Padawan Kenobi, look at me,” _ Qui-Gon ordered in a stern tone. This seemed to snap Obi-Wan out of it at least a little bit. He looked into Qui-Gon’s eyes. Fear and pain rippled through Obi-Wan’s bright blue eyes, but he was at attention now.

“Master?”

“Breathe, Obi-Wan, just breathe okay?”

Obi-Wan tried to get control of his breathing, but that only made him focus on the pain more. He threw his head back and screamed in agony. His eyes were squeezed tightly shut and his hands were curled into tight fists at his sides.

Qui-Gon took the opportunity to better examine his padawan’s wounds. He was covered in cuts and bruises from the fall. His robes were torn and bloody in a lot of places. When he looked closely, Qui-Gon could see tiny red welts where the fire beetles had stung him. There was a cut high on his cheekbone that was still bleeding quite profusely, and his right ankle appeared to be broken. 

There was no way Obi-Wan was walking out of here on his own. 

Qui-Gon scooped the young Jedi into his arms and slowly made his way back up the steep embankment. Rocks and loose soil gave way underneath him as he climbed, making him slide backward frequently. He pressed on anyway, determined to get his young padawan to safety. 

“It’s alright Obi-Wan, you’re going to be alright.”

The boy had no reply. His screams had died down into wails of sheer agony. Qui-Gon felt like his heart had shattered into a million pieces.

Obi-Wan wasn’t heavy, but after carrying him for the last three miles of the difficult trail, Qui-Gon was dripping in sweat and completely out of breath. Once on the ship, he gently laid the boy down on a small bunk that was in the ship. 

“Wait here Padawan. I’ll be right back.”

“Master,” Obi-wan said weakly, his voice hoarse. “Don’t leave me, please.”

“I’m not leaving Padawan. I’m setting course for Coruscant and then I'll be right back, I promise.”

Obi-Wan nodded gently.

Qui-Gon hastily made his way to the ship’s cockpit and launched the ship into space. Once in hyperspace, he put the ship on autopilot and returned to Obi-Wan’s side. The boy was shaking and his eyes were squeezed tightly shut.

_ Oh little one. _

_ What’s… what’s happening to me? _

_ It’s the venom from the fire beetles. Your brain thinks your skin is on fire. _

_ That would explain the burning then.  _

Qui-Gon huffed. His padawan always did have a dry sense of humor even at the worst possible times.

_ How long does it last? _

Qui-Gon hesitated.

_ Master, how long? _

_ Three days. _

Qui-Gon could swear he saw the life draining from his padawan’s blue eyes. Hollow despair washed through their bond. He felt the prick of tears in his own eyes, but he willed them away. He needed to be strong for Obi-Wan.

_ Master, I can’t do this. _

_ Yes, you can Obi-Wan. You’re very strong. It’s not fatal, you’ll make it out of this, I promise. _

Obi-Wan appeared to steel himself. He squeezed his eyes shut once again as another wave of agony overtook him. Qui-Gon grabbed Obi-Wan’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He looked over his young padawan’s body and remembered all of the other minor injuries he had sustained in his tumble down the embankment.

Qui-Gon dug around a little bit before locating a small medkit. He attended to the minor cuts and scrapes with disinfectant and bacta. Then, he turned his attention to the ankle that was turned in an unnatural direction. 

“I need to get your boot off before your ankle swells too much. This might hurt a bit okay?”

“Just add it to my tab.”

As gently as he could, Qui-Gon worked the boot off of Obi-Wan’s broken ankle. Obi-Wan twisted his fists into the sheets and let out a harsh yelp as Qui-Gon finally freed his ankle from the boot. Guilt flooded Qui-Gon’s whole body at the idea of being the one causing Obi-Wan pain, but he knew it had to be done.

Qui-Gon wrapped the ankle as best he could, but he knew it would need real medical attention once they returned to Coruscant. 

Obi-Wan panted heavily, his chest rising and falling at a rapid rate as he tried to counter the pain. 

_ I want to go home, Master. _

_ We’re on our way. We’ll be there in twelve standard hours. Just rest now okay? _

Obi-Wan nodded and attempted to sleep. 


	3. Breakdown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, I can't resist writing angst

Of course, Obi-Wan didn’t _really_ sleep. He tossed and turned fitfully, sweat drenching his whole body despite being wracked with shivers. The pain was too much for him to fully relax. Qui-Gon sat dutifully by his side, carding his fingers through Obi-Wan’s short, copper-toned hair. 

He sent calming energy through their bond, but it was of little help. 

After about ten hours of this, the exhaustion, misery and pain were clearly written all over Obi-Wan’s face. Qui-Gon had never seen his bright young padawan look this defeated. He wasn’t even trying to hide his tears anymore.

“I just want this to be over, Master,” he whined quietly.

“I know, Padawan. I want it to be over too.”

Obi-Wan’s gaze turned far away. He wasn’t looking at Qui-Gon anymore, but into the middle-distance past his shoulder. 

“It feels like I’m dying.”

Qui-Gon’s heart shattered.

He grabbed Obi-Wan’s hands in his much larger ones. “You’re not dying, Padawan. You’ll get through this, I promise. You just have to hold on for a little bit longer, okay?”

He nodded, but his gaze remained far away. He looked like the picture of absolute misery. 

Qui-Gon grimaced and sat by his padawan’s side until they exited hyperspace. Qui-Gon took over flying and landed at the temple’s loading dock. He scooped up Obi-Wan. He hung limp in his arms as he carried the young Jedi to the healer’s ward.

The large man burst into the halls of healing. His eyes landed on Vokara Che who quickly rushed to the Master and Apprentice pair.

“Master Jinn, what is the matter?”

“It’s my padawan. He was stung by dozens of fire beetles on our latest mission. He fell down an embankment, I think his ankle is broken as well.”

“Set him down over here,” Master Che ordered, gesturing to a hospital bed in a private room. “Alright Obi-Wan, I’m going to take a look at you now.”

Obi-Wan nodded. 

Master Che performed her examination quickly. 

“I’ll get this ankle fixed up,” she said determinedly. “I’m also going to prescribe him some painkillers.”

“Will that help with the stings?”

“Not as much as I would like it to, but it might dull it a little bit. They’re mostly for the ankle.”

Disappointment flared through Qui-Gon’s Force presence. 

“I need you to go wait outside Master Jinn.”

He looked down at the boy, his eyes squeezed shut in pain. 

“Master?” Obi-Wan whispered quietly.

“It’s alright, Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon said soothingly. “Master Che is going to take care of you.” 

Reluctantly, Qui-Gon entered the waiting area. He attempted a light meditation while he waited for the Master Healer to return for him, but he was having a difficult time clearing his head. He could feel the boy’s agony through their bond and it broke his heart. If he could bear it for him he would in a heartbeat. But unfortunately, he had no choice but to sit there helplessly while his young padawan suffered.

After some time, Vokara Che came out and motioned for Qui-Gon to follow her. He hopped to his feet with more energy than he truly possessed at the moment and hurried after her. 

His heart sunk at the sight of Obi-Wan lying still in the hospital bed. He was pale and misery was etched across his expression. 

_ I want to go home, Master. _

_ I know Padawan. We will in just a little while okay? _

Obi-Wan didn’t acknowledge him at all. He continued to stare off at nothing.

“I had to put his ankle in bacta for a little while, but it’s mostly back to normal. He can walk short distances on it but take it easy. I’d leave it wrapped for now, but it should be back to normal completely in a few days,” Vokara Che said as she handed Qui-Gon a small pill bottle. “Have him take these painkillers as needed for it.”

Qui-Gon accepted the small vile and nodded, absorbing all the information being laid out in front of him. 

As the two Jedi Masters conversed, Qui-Gon could sense a flicker of impatience starting to brew across his bond with Obi-Wan. The feeling was very uncharacteristic of his padawan, but he let it go. He knew Obi-Wan was exhausted and in pain, it only made sense it would start to take a toll on his typically mild mood. “Master Che, can I please take him home?”

“Yes, as long as you feel up to caring for him, he should do just fine from the comfort of his own bed.”

Qui-Gon let out a breath of relief, he wanted to get out of the healing halls almost as much as Obi-Wan did. 

“There is one more thing you should know, Master Jinn.”

“And what is that?”

“Once the initial symptoms of the toxin fade, his body is going to be very weak. He’ll likely experience flu-like symptoms for a few days. It should be manageable, but if you notice a turn in his health please bring him back here immediately.”

Qui-Gon’s heart sank even further. He knew about the initial burning symptoms from the fire beetles, but he didn’t know his padawan was going to continue suffering once those initial symptoms faded. 

If Obi-Wan heard what Vokara Che just said, he gave no indication of it. His eyes were glazed and set in the middle distance as they had been on the ship.

“Alright Padawan, we’re going to go back home now. Can you stand up?”

A look of mild irritation crossed Obi-Wan’s face, but he hid it quickly. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and wordlessly got to his feet. He favored his left leg but otherwise remained steady. 

The master and apprentice pair made their way to their shared quarters. Qui-Gon offered a supportive arm, but Obi-Wan refused it. The trek to their quarters wasn’t a long one, but about halfway there Obi-Wan was shaking like a leaf and he had slowed down considerably.

Qui-Gon looked at him with concern. “Padawan, are you alright?”

“Yes, Master.”

Qui-Gon could feel Obi-Wan’s stubborn determination through their bond, but determination could only get him so far. Obi-Wan could only take a few more steps before he collapsed against the wall. He slid down it slowly, defeat written across his face. 

“Obi-Wan!” Qui-Gon exclaimed, alarmed at both his padawan’s behavior and his condition.

The irritation and stubborn will that had been simmering on Obi-Wan’s side of their bond melted away. Now all he felt was hopelessness. Qui-Gon silently wished the short-lived irritability would come back. 

Obi-Wan drew his knees to his chest and lay his forehead against them. His shoulders shook with quiet sobs. 

Qui-Gon knelt down next to him, feeling helpless. “What can I do Obi?”

“I’m… I’m sorry, Master,” Obi-Wan hiccuped, ignoring the question. 

“There’s nothing to be sorry for little one. I know you’re in a lot of pain, but you’ll get through it.”

“No Master. I’m sorry I got us into this mess.”

“What?” Qui-Gon said, both confused and concerned.

“In… in the forest. I… I let my fear overpower me… even though that leads to the darkside,” he sobbed. 

“Come now Padawan,” Qui-Gon said gently, extending out a hand to Obi-Wan. “You’re exhausted and you’re in pain, we can discuss this later.”

This was apparently the wrong thing to say as Obi-Wan somehow shrank into himself even further. Qui-Gon ignored the concerned stares of his fellow Jedi as they passed the pair by in the corridor. He was too focused on his padawan for that. 

“If I had control over my emotions I could have gotten them off of me. We wouldn’t be in this situation. I wouldn’t be such a failure to you. I wouldn’t be surprised if you wanted to send me back to the agri-corp.”

_ Where in the galaxy was this coming from?  _ Qui-Gon thought to himself.

“Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon said urgently as he grabbed his hands. “You did not fail me. If anything, I have failed you. I have not taught you the lessons you need to learn in order to control your fear yet. More than that, you are still a padawan. Even Master Jedi struggle to control their fear. Fear is nothing to be ashamed of Padawan mine.” 

Obi-Wan seemed to relax a tiny bit. 

“Obi-Wan?”

“Yes, Master?”

“I’m never going to send you back to the Agri-Corp. You’re  _ my  _ Padawan. Do you understand me?”

Obi-Wan gave a small nod, but wasn’t quite able to reach Qui-Gon’s eyes. 

“I want to go home,” Obi-Wan repeated, but this time it came out as a whimper. 

“I know, Padawan. We’re almost there.” 

Qui-Gon pulled him to his feet and this time the boy accepted his outstretched arm as they walked back to their quarters.


	4. Night Visions

“Master, please go get some sleep.”

“It’s alright Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon said. He was exhausted, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave his padawan’s side. 

“Please, Master. I’ll be fine without you for a few hours, I promise. Besides, I think it’s starting to fade. The bites don’t hurt as much anymore.”

Qui-Gon tried to tell if he was lying, but his tone sounded earnest. Plus, it had almost been three full days since that horrible moment on the jungle planet, it made sense that he would be feeling better. The past 36 hours had been pretty rough. Obi-Wan had tossed and turned fitfully in his bed, unable to relax or calm himself. He didn’t eat and barely drank any water.

Qui-Gon continued to eye his padawan suspiciously, making sure it was actually okay to leave him be for at least a couple of hours.

“Fine, but if you need anything, please get me.”

“Of course, Master.”

Obi-Wan watched his Master reluctantly leave before he curled in on himself. He was just as exhausted as Qui-Gon, but his own pain had prevented him from getting any true rest. He still felt the remnants of the fire beetle bites, but it had faded substantially. In fact, he was starting to feel rather cold. He pulled his blankets tightly around himself as he slowly fell into the first deep sleep he had had in three days. 

* * *

_ He was in the jungle. Except this jungle was different. This jungle was tinted red. _

_ No, wait. The jungle wasn’t tinted red. He was surrounded by ray shields. He spun around. Four walls made up of ray shields surrounded him. He tried to release the twinge of panic he felt at being trapped inside a ray shield box, but before he could do that, his eyes landed on something else. _

_ Qui-Gon. _

_ Obi-Wan’s eyes widened as he realized his Master was outside of the ray shields. He lay on the forest floor, covered in fire beetles. He clawed at the horrid insects and screamed in pained agony. _

_ “Master!” he screamed, but Qui-Gon didn’t seem to hear him.  _

_ He faintly heard someone calling his name, but he was so overwhelmed by his fear he couldn’t latch onto it. _

_ He searched the ray shields for faults, but could find none. He looked down at the ground and he felt his chest constrict. Fire beetles were squeezing underneath the ray shields and were crawling towards him.  _

_ “Master!” he screamed again.  _

_ The voice calling his name grew louder, firmer. It sounded like Qui-Gon, but that couldn’t be right, because his Master was right in front of him, covered in fire beetles.  _

_ He felt something gripping his shoulders, shaking him as the voice called his name, growing louder with each repetition. _

_ “Obi-Wan!” _

Obi-Wan gasped awake. He looked around wildly, chest rising and falling rapidly. 

“Qui-Gon?” he panted. “Where are they?”

Confusion narrowed Qui-Gon’s eyes. “Obi-Wan, it was just a dream. You’re safe. Everything is okay.”

Obi-Wan looked intently at Qui-Gon. He was perfectly fine, if not a bit concerned. 

He felt his lips tremble with residual anxiety and, with some embarrassment, realized he had been crying in his sleep. He swiped his hands over his eyes and tried to get control of his emotions. 

“Do you want to tell me about it?”

He thought about it for a moment. Images of the red, wavering ray shields swirled behind his eyes.

“No, Master. It was just a dream,” Obi-Wan said, though he couldn’t hide a touch of reluctance in his voice. He was starting to feel a little nauseous and he was shivering. He felt cold even though he was under a pile of blankets. He pulled them more tightly around himself.

Qui-Gon laid a gentle hand on Obi-Wan’s cheek and he leaned into the touch in spite of himself. 

“Padawan, you’re burning up.”

“I’m freezing,” he retorted through chattering teeth. 

“You need to get some more rest. It’s the only way your body will be able to heal itself.”

A flash of dread crossed Obi-Wan’s blue eyes. “I don’t want to. I don’t want to see them again.” He knew he sounded like a petulant youngling, but the thought of reliving his experience with the fire beetles in any capacity was unbearable.

“Padawan, I…”

“It was the fire beetles!” Obi-Wan blurted out.

“What?”

“In my dream… I was trapped. I was trying to get to you. There were fire beetles all over you and then they came after me and I...”

“Padawan, it was only a dream and dreams pass,” Qui-Gon said, cutting him off before he got himself too worked up again. “There are no fire beetles here. I’m right here. You aren’t trapped anywhere. We’re both safe.”

The timbre of Qui-Gon’s voice always had a calming effect on Obi-Wan. He focused on controlling his breathing.

“Okay Master,” he said with a shaky voice. As his breaths became more even, he realized just how exhausted he was. He felt himself nodding off, comforted by his Master’s presence. Qui-Gon sat by his side and ran his fingers over the padawan braid. 

It would take another two full weeks for Obi-Wan to get back to his normal, full health, but even Qui-Gon in all his wisdom accrued over years of living in the Force, wouldn’t know the true lifelong impact this event would have on his young padawan. How could he know the fire beetles would continuously return to Obi-Wan in his most vulnerable moments? How could he know they would haunt him in his dreams on Stewjon, or in his waking nightmares on Zigoola?

No, thoughts of the future didn’t cross his mind. As he stared at his sleeping padawan, his thoughts remained in the here and now, at least for a little while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I've enjoyed all of your comments!


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